Another consequential week of UEFA Champions League action awaits as the round of 16 comes to a close and eight teams will book a spot in the quarterfinals. Arsenal and Bayern Munich are amongst the European heavyweights who carry major first leg advantages and may already have a foot in the last eight, but things are still up in the air for a handful of teams. That includes the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool, each of whom have just a one-goal lead heading into this week’s action.
Ahead of a week that teases entertainment and hopefully a little bit of drama, here are picks and predictions from the CBS Sports team.
Don’t miss any of the Champions League. As always, you can catch all of our coverage across Paramount+, CBS Sports Network, and CBS Sports Golazo Network all season long.
Here are our expert picks for this matchday:
Tuesday’s Champions League slate
Barcelona vs. Benfica
Player to watch: Pedri – Outstanding in the first leg, Pedri has been almost uniformly excellent since October at the latest. With Benfica obliged to push forward and pursue the tie there should be gaps to thread passes into. Few players are better placed to exploit them. — James Benge
Man of the match: Lamine Yamal – After an exciting 1-0 win away in the first leg, Lamine Yamal is the player who can make the difference at the Barcelona home ground. Yamal, who scored two goals and provided two assists in the opening eight games of the tournament is poised for a big game on Tuesday. — Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Barcelona 2, Benfica 1 – Clean sheets are not one of Barcelona’s strengths in the era of Wojciech Szczesny, with Pau Cubarsi’s suspension and the impressive form of Benfica’s Vangelis Pavlidis not helping matters. Hansi Flick’s side, though, have players in midfield and attack that can make up the difference to expect them to do just that and send Barcelona through to the last eight. — Pardeep Cattry
Best bet: Raphinha to have two shots on target (+110) – Currently shooting through anything in his path, Raphinha was the lone goal scorer in the first leg and while he may not find the net here, that doesn’t mean that he won’t get a few shots off. With Benfica needing to push for a victory, that will provide Barcelona’s attack with more space to operate in which can be exploited. — Chuck Booth
Liverpool vs. PSG
Player to watch: Kostas Tsimikas or Andy Robertson — Neither Liverpool left back has particularly set the world alight this season, and whichever one Arne Slot calls on is going to have to perform exceptionally. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Ousmane Dembele created chaos down the PSG right in the first leg. It is hard to see an easy way for Liverpool to stop that in the second. — James Benge
Man of the match: Mohamed Salah – While the first leg showed an impressive performance of PSG and a disappointing one of the side coached by Arne Slot before the winning goal, Mo Salah is due to make a statement performance on Tuesday. The Egyptian striker scored 27 goals in 29 games played in the English Premier League, but still needs to show his best in the European competition this season. — Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Liverpool 1, PSG 2 – This is arguably the game to watch this week, considering PSG demonstrated in the first leg that they have what it takes to rattle Liverpool. The Reds got away with one in Paris and won’t want to do so again at home, but the fatigue of a long season is showing and PSG’s young squad has plenty of talent and drive to force this one to spot kicks. At that point it’s anyone’s guess, so why not guess that an upset might be in store? — Pardeep Cattry
Best bet: Mohamed Salah to score (+150) – Salah didn’t have a great game in the first leg in Paris, but at home, the Egyptian is a different player. This is in the weird spot of Liverpool not needing to score to advance but an early goal could put this tie out of reach. In the midst of one of the best seasons that anyone has seen from any soccer player, if anyone’s going to find the back of the net for Liverpool, it’s Salah with the pressure on. — Chuck Booth
Wednesday’s Champions League slate
Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid
Player to watch: Julian Alvarez – Sunday’s defeat to Getafe crystalized the burgeoning importance of their young Argentine to Atletico Madrid. Alvarez couldn’t get going, nor could his team. The forward can do it all, beating his man, poaching and creating for others. — James Benge
Man of the match: Kylian Mbappe – After the first leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, Carlo Ancelotti’s side will have to defend at their best against Diego Simeone’ team, but then the counterattacks might be the key factor for this tie and a player like Mbappe can express at his best. — Francesco Porzio
Prediction: Atletico Madrid 1, Real Madrid 1 – Things may have swung in Real Madrid’s favor last week, but these two teams have been evenly matched all season long. Expect another competitive game that ends in a draw, with Atletico’s talented attack falling just short of leveling this tie and reaching the last eight. — Pardeep Cattry
Best bet: Both teams to score and over 2.5 goals (-118) — There hasn’t been much to separate these teams and both want to play their soccer on the front foot, so that could set the stage for goals. The highly anticipated match between two talented attacking teams is set to take place in the Round of 16, and there’s no telling how it will unfold. Both sides showcased their fine finishing skills in the first leg, leaving fans on the edge of their seats.
With so many skilled attackers on each team, this match is expected to be a high-scoring and intense battle. If Atletico Madrid manages to score the first goal on their home turf, the momentum could shift in their favor and ramp up the excitement even more.
The Round of 16 TV schedule has been released, with all times listed in U.S./Eastern time. Fans can tune in to watch the action unfold and witness some of the best teams in Europe go head-to-head for a spot in the quarterfinals.
As the teams prepare to face off, the anticipation and excitement are palpable. With so much talent on display, this match is sure to be a thrilling and unforgettable experience for both players and fans alike. Stay tuned for what promises to be a memorable showdown between two powerhouse teams in the Round of 16.
